


I'm Dancing Right Beside You

by rainbow_jack12



Category: Daft Punk
Genre: Gay ass robots, Kissing, M/M, Robot Daft Punk, Some angst, Stuttering, a little spicy ngl, all fluff no plot, author is soft, cutecutecute!, gm08 - Freeform, i am projecting, i need therapy but instead i'm gonna think about daft punk, it's like a rice krispy treat with no krispies only marshmallows, no pharrell hate but i Do Not Like His Vibes, no sadness in this house, rated for romance hehe, robot kiss, robots in love, some neopronoun action, tb3 - Freeform, they communicate in music, thomas please take me on a date like this, tiny record store supremacy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-12
Updated: 2021-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-20 05:55:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,681
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30000315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rainbow_jack12/pseuds/rainbow_jack12
Summary: a story of the day they won a Grammy. Thomas has planned a day out for Guy-Manuel, and the cute robot affection brainrot takes over. aka soft dates and a concert and Guy-Manuel being nervous and Thomas being the loving partner we all wish we hadwarning for gratuitous use of mon chérime rn: i started writing this 3747645 months ago but i am simply DEVASTATED over the breakup so here
Relationships: TB3/GM08, Thomas Bangalter/Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo
Comments: 2
Kudos: 13





	I'm Dancing Right Beside You

**Author's Note:**

> this made me really happy to work on after the breakup. It let me start listening to their music again without crying😭  
> p.s. sorry for any inaccuracies, I did my darndest but i make it a point to avoid award shows at all costs so I don't actually know how one goes

"Guy-Manuel!" Thomas sang excitedly as he unceremoniously ripped the charging cord from his neck and tossed the luxurious but quite unnecessary comforter onto the foot of their hotel bed. His gold counterpart gave a flash of annoyed red on his helmet and snuggled further into the bed. Thomas decided he'd go for the sweet and romantic approach-which he'd now look back on and wonder why he ever thought that would work.  
Thomas hummed a low and mechanical run of soothing notes and leaned over his partner, gazing at his own sparkling reflection in the vast black visor.  
"Come now, mon chéri, today's our day!" Thomas gently rubbed the rich black fabric of Guy-Manuel's shoulder. He didn't wear pajamas, simply recharging with nothing but the black fabric that protected all his inner workings from harm. Thomas, however, liked the feeling of his expensive silk robes. This morning he found himself in a feather-light purple nightgown that flowed beautifully around him with every perfectly calibrated movement. The silk slipped off his velvety shoulder as he held himself above his partner. Thomas thought it would be very convincing.  
{let the record show that this would be very convincing to me if I were in Guy-Manuel's place}  
Guy-Manuel didn't agree. With a frustrated grumble of unintelligible sounds, his visor flashed with a bright X and he flipped from his resting position on his side to his back-and in one strong and astonishingly fast movement, the gold robot kicked Thomas right off the bed and across their hotel room. "Merde!" Thomas shouted as he crashed into the poor defenseless wardrobe, his heavy chrome body crumpling the black metal. He groaned, not in pain from the impact, but from the scolding he would inevitably receive for the property damage. He stood and dusted himself off, picking up a broken drawer handle and messily attempting to shove it back in place. Guy-Manuel snorted at him. Thomas whipped around, displaying a not-so-pg family friendly clean message on his visor. This only caused Guy-Manuel to laugh harder, a loud, mechanical noise that many who had never met him didn't initially realize was laughter. Thomas loved it though, it was so unlike the quiet, nervous tone he took up when speaking. He loved it so much he almost forgot to be mad.  
"Alright, out of bed. I have made plans for us before this evening." Thomas strode to the closet to find a nice outfit for their date. He sorted through some tailored suits-far too fancy for what he'd planned-pushed aside his plain shirts and dull jackets-not nearly nice enough-  
"Ah!" Thomas chirped happily, taking an outfit and heading for the bathroom.  
"What are we doing, Thomas, love?" Guy-Manuel finally piped up, his vocalizer foggy with sleep. He took the power cable from his neck and stretched lazily. Thomas wished he could share a fond smile, but he could share his affection through his and Guy-Manuel's private connection-their own little server that fully connected their thoughts and feelings. In Thomas' opinion, it was far more intimate that anything humans could do. Guy-Manuel shivered and reciprocated the current of affection from the other side of the large bedroom.  
"We are going to pass some time together before tonight." Thomas said. Guy-Manuel stood and went to dig through his suitcase for some clothes, the morning sun reflecting off his visor. Thomas noticed the myriad of fingerprints and dust and smudges on his helmet.  
"You're a mess. Come with me." The silver robot commanded. Guy-Manuel scoffed. He shot a vague feeling of amusement and mocking through their connection. He often chose to communicate directly to Thomas' mind and use his vocalizer only to speak to humans. Thomas could tell just by the angle of Guy-Manuel's shoulders and relaxing of his back that he wasn't truly mad, simply teasing. When one's best friend doesn't like to speak, one learns to read the other's body language like words on a page. This was how it had always been between them, a perfect harmony and thoughtful understanding that was as natural to them as making music.

♥♡🌙🎹🥂♡♥

Thomas went to the bathroom, leaving the door open, and gathering two soft washcloths and a bottle of glass-cleaner, along with all his other favorite products. His friend joined him soon enough, humming the chorus to Human After All. Thomas chuckled softly.  
"Here, mon chéri." Thomas murmured. He turned to the shorter of the pair, bringing his gloved hand to Guy-Manuel's bare hip. His thumb traced absently over the subtle jut of his hip while the other hand rose to the gold helmet. Guy-Manuel's gentle sigh washed through Thomas' mind and over every wire in his body. Thomas pulled him close, holding him gently against his chest. Thomas wanted to thank the ones that constructed them every single day for making them both the perfect size for each other. Guy-Manuel rested his head on Thomas' chest like they were simply clicking into place, two pieces in a matching set. Thomas softly cleaned Guy-Manuel's helmet til it shone, then spun him around to admire the improvement in the large, ornate mirror. Guy-Manuel gave a satisfied chirp and moved to get dressed.  
"Only a moment more here, please Guillaume?" The gold robot turned, contemplating his other half's blank visor. He trailed gloved fingers up Thomas' long arm and over his neck, letting them hover over the perfect chrome layer-like a completely undisturbed lake, eerily still...maybe if he touched the surface, he'd fall right in. Thomas wrapped his arms around Guy-Manuel's shoulders, cradling his head against his chest. There was no heartbeat, but if there was, Guy-Manuel was sure he'd like to listen to it. They stayed tangled together for a few more gentle moments, all soft touches and sweet hugs, before breaking away and getting dressed.

♥♡🌙🎹🥂♡♥

"What do you think?" Guy-Manuel adjusted the lapels of his tailored leather jacket as he presented his outfit for his partner.  
"Oh…" Thomas sighed with nothing but awe. He could never get used to the way his usually quick and calculated brain seemed to overflow with emotion when he realized again how truly beautiful his soulmate was. He was always aware of Guy-Manuel's otherworldly elegance, but when he focused on it, it never failed to stun Thomas.  
"You are so beautiful, mon chéri." Thomas murmured, voice glazed with awe. Guy-Manuel's visor lit up with a rosy blush emote and he turned his head bashfully.  
"You're only flattering me," he said.  
"Maybe, but I never lie to you." Thomas tore his gaze from the shining robot in front of him and hurried to finish getting ready. He neatly buttoned a smooth white shirt up to his collarbone, tucking it into perfectly pressed black jeans with a thin black belt. He slipped on his favorite black chelsea boots and straightened out, looking at Guy-Manuel for approval. He made a thoughtful tilt of his head, then approached Thomas, reaching up to take his shirt collar in hand. He unbuttoned one, two more, then fixed the collar so it hung neatly over the taller robot's smooth chest. Thomas chuckled, a very human sound-it was high and even and had an underlying raspy tone that made it simply beautiful to hear. Everything about Thomas was more human-as if he was a perfected version of a human. He was emotional but logical, confident, caring, curious, and gentle with silent strength, inside and out. TB3 truly was a perfect model. Guy-Manuel couldn't help his jealousy, but it was mostly smothered by sheer adoration. After all, this perfect man was his. And nobody else really knew Thomas, how dorky he could be, how he got way too excited over little things like jewelry and pretty confections at expensive desserteries, and how he sang to himself while he was doing mundane tasks.  
Guy-Manuel sauntered over to the counter (he always sauntered, he swayed his hips and held his shoulders high, even when he was scared or sad or stressed, he always walked with an unmatched handsome confidence) and he picked up the two pyramid necklaces, rich and shining, a perfect match to their owners. Guy-Manuel stood on his tip-toes, looping his arms around the taller man's neck to clasp the silver necklace, letting it settle in against Thomas' chest. Thomas took the matching gold chain and delicately fastened it around Guy-Manuel's neck, letting it hang over the tight white t-shirt he wore.

♥♡🌙🎹🥂♡♥

Guy-Manuel swung the door of their old black Ferrari shut and followed Thomas into the large shopping mall. Right away they attracted some stares, but Thomas seemed oblivious so Guy-Manuel tried to act unbothered as well. They both liked big shopping malls, there was often a lot to see with people bustling past, kids laughing and packs of teenagers shopping and hundreds of sights and sounds. Guy-Manuel shot a feeling of curiosity over their connection, indicating which store he wanted to explore first. Thomas nodded and returned a smile wirelessly before happily leading them into a high-end clothing store. They both excitedly browsed the elegant suits and glittering dresses, examining all the gorgeous clothing on display. Thomas was pondering a ruffled black shirt made of a fabric so light and slick that it felt like water in his gloved hands-when he heard an excited trill from across the store. He looked up, immediately locating his partner. He hurried over to see what the fuss was about, finding Guy-Manuel transfixed on a mannequin posed high above the rest in the window. She was dressed in a long, deep burgundy cape that fanned out beneath her, adorned with gold patterns and black gems. The inside was lined with soft white fur, and the dramatic collar demanded attention and power. The mannequin had an equally beautiful dress underneath, but Thomas knew Guy-Manuel was staring at that incredible cape. Thomas turned his head, catching the eye of a store attendant with the raise of his hand. When the woman approached, he nodded towards the outfit.  
"May we try it on?"  
"Um, the cape?" She asked, and Thomas mentally cursed at her tone. He knew Guy-Manuel desperately wanted to try it on but would never have asked for fear of the employee's response, and now this attendant's tone dripped with tasteless judgment. Already he could sense Guy-Manuel shrinking in on himself, lowering his head and edging closer to his companion.  
"Yes. Please get it down for us." Thomas spared no friendliness, he always treated strangers with his sweetest demeanor but he switched that off the moment he was upset with them. The attendant said nothing as she climbed up onto the podium and removed the cape and draped it over her forearm.  
"The dress too?" She asked, clearly amusing herself. Thomas did not think she was funny.  
"No." He responded, coldly. She brought the cape down and handed it to him.  
"If you need anything else, I'd be happy to help. I can show you to the men's section if you'd like," She said, voice fake and mocking. Thomas stomped out a flicker of anger and lifted his chin, feeling quite repulsed by her behavior. He turned on his heel and strode across the store to the fitting rooms, being sure not to walk faster than Guy-Manuel. He didn't want to leave him behind.  
"I'm sorry about her inappropriate behavior, mon amour. She obviously has no taste." Thomas gently set the luxurious cape in Guy-Manuel's arms. "Go try it on! And show me, I want to see. You'll look simply decadent, I can tell." The flip back to his happy mood clearly eased Guy-Manuel quite a bit. Thomas placed a hand on his shoulder and gently pushed him towards the fitting room. "Go!" He beeped happily, watching the golden man disappear behind the floor-length curtain. He waited...and waited…after 2 minutes and 37 seconds, he called out to him.  
"Can I see?" He asked, quietly.  
"Oh Thomas, I don't know if you're ready."  
Thomas flushed with happiness and anticipation.  
"Come on, please?" Thomas almost begged.  
The heavy curtains parted, and Guy-Manuel stepped out. Thomas couldn't speak. He was beyond stunning-the thick fabric shimmered and fell around him like a thick cloud of smoke, the collar rested perfectly under his golden helmet, and his shoulders(oh, his shoulders!) were broad and perfectly defined, the cape resting over him like it was designed for his body alone. And to think, this was displayed on a small, soft figure-no, this piece was made for someone like Guy-Manuel.  
"You're speechless. Usually I'm the speechless one." Guy-Manuel turned and posed in the mirror of the fitting room.  
"I have a right to be speechless when you look like that." Thomas countered, arranging the cape around him. He looked like a king, beautiful and fearsome. Guy-Manuel scoffed but flashed a heart over his visor. He turned and examined himself from every angle. He was the picture of perfection, even if he did look a tad silly with a regular t-shirt underneath. Thomas imagined his partner with his perfectly fitted suit and this magnificent cape, then sent that image to Guy-Manuel who lit up upon receiving it.  
"That would be wonderful, Thomas!" Guy-Manuel sang happily.  
"Shall we check out, or is there anything else you'd like to look at?" Thomas began lifting the heavy cape from his shoulders. The smaller robot's hands grabbed his, trapping him.  
"First, you have to wear it." He inclined his head ever so slightly, a movement Thomas knew was a mischievous grin as if Guy-Manuel had a mouth the smirk with. Thomas responded with an unsure run of synthesized notes, to which the golden one nodded firmly and gracefully removed the cape from his shoulders. He moved behind Thomas and reached up, gently setting it over his slim shoulders. Thomas sighed, admiring himself in the mirror.  
"It makes me feel so…" He trailed off. What was the word? He gave a low hum, mixing it with a cello melody and a raspy vox bass. Guy-Manuel nodded, adding a haunting bell-like melody.  
"Yes! That." Thomas turned to give back the accessory but found that a middle-aged couple had been browsing nearby and were giving them very strange looks.  
"Maybe we should get going," Thomas giggled.

♥♡🌙🎹🥂♡♥

"Guy-Manuel-Manuel! Look how precious!" Thomas excitedly pulled him towards a bakery, dashing to the glass display. He was carrying all their bags and he looked a bit ridiculous. Guy-Manuel humored him, admiring the delicate flower-shaped sweets. It was hard to believe a human constructed them so uniform without a robot's precision and steady hand. He admitted they were impressive.  
"Can I get you anything?" A cheery woman behind the counter asked. Thomas' face fell.  
"Ah, I'm afraid not. Thank you anyways." Thomas turned to Guy-Manuel, ready to leave the cozy shop. Guy-Manuel wished he could make Thomas feel better, but they could never be able to eat and enjoy the desserts the silver robot loved so much.  
"Come on, love, let's go-Thomas?" Guy-Manuel looked behind him. The robot in question had frozen in place.  
"Thomas!" Guy-Manuel beeped.  
"Look at that dog! What a professional boy!" Thomas' visor lit up with a scrolling pattern of hearts as he stared across the wide hallway at a service dog happily trotting next to his owner. Guy-Manuel sighed affectionately.  
"Come on, Thomas, let's discover what else there is to see."

♥♡🌙🎹🥂♡♥

After wandering to every corner of the mall, they got bored and found their way back to their car.  
"Where are we going now?" Guy-Manuel asked as Thomas unloaded the many bags he had on both arms into the backseat.  
"You'll see." Thomas climbed into the driver's seat and rolled his window down. The smaller robot hummed but said nothing. Thomas started the car and popped a Jackson 5 cassette into the tape deck, and they sang along the whole way.  
Thomas pulled into a tiny parking lot in front of an artsy record shop covered in murals and graffiti with a glass door that could no longer be seen through because it was covered in stickers. A tabby cat sat in the window, watching lazily as the two robots entered the store. A pleasant bell announced their entrance, and Guy-Manuel mimicked it, saving the sound for later. Thomas giggled and replicated the noise back at him, and Guy-Manuel sung it back, and they went back and forth, trying to be faster than the other-  
"Oh god, I thought someone was attacking my door." An unfamiliar voice came from a door on the back wall. Both robots went silent and looked at the source of the voice sheepishly.  
"Sorry. Got carried away." Thomas straightened up.  
"No, it's fine. How do you do that?" The man was small and had a sleeve of pretty tattoos. He wore a Grateful Dead t-shirt and had a caring, close-lipped smile.  
"We have very good memory and top of the line vocalizers. And uh...this is pretty much the extent of what we use them for." Thomas chuckled good-naturedly. The store clerk laughed.  
"Very impressive. Can you just recreate any sound you want?"  
"Just about. Can you just recreate any sound you want?" Thomas mimicked his voice.  
"Agh-don't do that, that's super creepy." He laughed.  
"Understood." Thomas giggled and glanced around for Guy-Manuel. He was digging through records, fervently searching for something. Thomas left him to his search and went over to socialize with the employee.  
"Congratulations on the Grammy nomination, that's pretty big." The man said. Thomas froze.  
"You...are Daft Punk, right?" He asked, doubting himself. Thomas laughed."Yes, sorry-it's just surreal to hear someone say it. Thank you."  
"Anytime. I'm Vince." He said, offering his hand over the counter. Thomas took it.  
"Thomas. And that's Guy-Manuel-Manuel." He gestured to the corner where the golden robot was examining the covers of two vinyls. They talked about the other nominees and pop music, but Vince didn't like much of what was on the radio("No offense," "Of course, none taken,") so they talked about 70s rock and disco. The bell at the door chimed.  
"Don't-" Vince pointed at Thomas. Thomas giggled.  
"Hey, you should sign my wall. Then I'll have something cool to show when people come in here looking for your records." Vince dug around under the counter for a thick black paint pen. He offered it to Thomas.  
"Sure, why not? Do you...write on your walls very often?" He followed Vince to the only space of red-painted wall that wasn't covered in posters.  
"Yeah, all the time. People usually just write dumb shit but I got Lorde to sign here," he pointed. "And Yoko Ono, and half of Maroon 5." Vince chuckled. As Thomas raised the marker to the wall, he heard something behind him.  
"I-I-I-I-" It was Guy-Manuel's vocalizer. It often got stuck and skipped when he was anxious. Thomas whipped around, locating his partner at the back of the store surrounded by a group of people looking at him expectantly. He hated when all eyes were on him, Thomas knew that. He sped over, acting casual as he put his arm around the other robot's waist, attempting to calm him subtly.  
"Hi! What's up?" Thomas asked the group. They all beamed and squealed, chattering excitedly. It was no fault of theirs, but they were quite loud and overwhelming, understandable that Guy-Manuel would be uncomfortable.  
"Can you sign this record?" A girl held up a copy of R.A.M.  
"Of course!" Thomas reluctantly let go of Guy-Manuel, who was silent and shaking. He took the album and the white pen another girl offered and signed his half with a flourish, then passed it to Guy-Manuel who scribbled his autograph with an unsteady hand. The group thanked them profusely, expressing their love through genuinely sweet compliments-as much as Thomas appreciated all of their fans, he just wanted to escape with his partner. He thanked them in return, answering their questions as brightly as he could while returning his hand to the small of Guy-Manuel's back. Suddenly, Vince called from the counter.  
"Thomas! I hate to keep you away but I still need your help with these albums over here!"  
Thomas silently thanked the universe for his new friend.  
"Ah-I'm so sorry, but we must get back to that. It was lovely to meet you all!" Thomas charmed them all, leaving them glowing and raving about the album as he gently guided himself and his love away.  
"Go on into the back and I'll let you know when they've left." Vince winked. In that moment, Thomas wished he could wink. He attempted his best shot, a winking emote on his visor which made Vince smile. Then, they ducked under a bead curtain and into the private room. The floors were covered in rugs and old chairs and thrifted tables, rolls of posters in bins piled up next to boxes of CDs and a hefty black safe with an empty bottle and a collection of knick-knacks on top.  
"Come on, mon chéri." Thomas purred, sitting on a cozy armchair and pulling Guy-Manuel into his lap. The smaller one sat across him with his legs hanging over the arm and his head against Thomas' chest.  
"s-s-s-," the golden robot started.  
"Hush, don't apologize. Be with me for a moment." Thomas dragged his fingers in soft patterns over his soulmate's thigh. The soulmate in question nodded and went silent, the room going still. Thomas imagined every pleasant night in and sunny road trip they'd had and passed those feelings to his partner, who uttered a soft hum that broke like he was crying at the end. Thomas' heart ached. He took Guy-Manuel's head between his hands, bringing their eyeless gaze together. Nothing but inky blackness mirrored on both sides. He pushed more happy thoughts through their minds, this time earning an appreciative mechanical sigh from the shorter robot. He pulled his visor closer, erasing any spot where their bodies weren't touching and pressing their faces together with a tiny *clink*.  
"See love? We're ok. You did wonderfully, chéri." Thomas nuzzled his visor gently before moving back slightly, the red LEDs of a heart emote reflecting in flawless gold and black. Guy-Manuel nodded, then, seemingly snapping back into reality, he glanced down at their connected bodies and shoved Thomas. Thomas giggled as his partner lost his balance and fell off his lap with a heavy metal thud. He was berated by a flurry of angry beeps from the purple carpeted floor. Thomas beeped back mockingly and tackled him, trapping his wrists under his chrome hands. Guy-Manuel protested and tried to kick him to the side, freeing one leg and curling it around Thomas-then he rolled them over, straddling Thomas and tickling his stomach. Thomas laughed and swatted his hands away. Curse his overly sensitive artificial nerves. {Guy-Manuel disagrees with that statement vehemently.}  
"Better?" Thomas asked affectionately.  
"Beaucoup mieux." Guy-Manuel sighed. {means much better :)} He lowered himself to lay against the soft velvet of Thomas' chest, and Thomas wrapped his long arms around him. Vince quietly glanced through the bead curtain but let them be for just a moment longer.

♥♡🌙🎹🥂♡♥

The two strolled aimlessly in the cool January air, talking about anything and everything. It was sometimes difficult to find things to talk about when they did everything together, but when there was nothing to talk about, Thomas would think out loud, punctuated by Guy-Manuel's occasional commentary and debate. Sometimes they would argue about things for days on end, simply to talk. These arguments were never aggressive and always interrupted by jokes and stories, and nobody really won in the end-they just found something more interesting to talk about. This afternoon they went back and forth about vocals for their new song they'd been working on. It was an artsy love song, a little bit disco but much more pop.  
"I don't think it needs vocals. You just want a chance to open your loud mouth on more songs." Guy-Manuel said, hands resting in his pockets as they walked. Thomas snorted.  
"Fine, if you don't want me, maybe you should get Pharrell to sing on it."  
Guy-Manuel laughed, his head tilting back.  
"No way, if we invite him back he'll take over and force us to become 'Pharrell Punk' and no one will ever see us again."  
"Or Daft Williams."  
"That's what they used to call me in school."  
Thomas laughed, nudging the shorter man's shoulder with his own.  
"See, you like my voice. It's subtle. It fits."  
"Yeah but it didn't get us nominated for a Grammy." Guy-Manuel retorted. Thomas laughed so hard he couldn't breath, which is concerning because he doesn't have lungs. {the author would like to note that for legal reasons, this hypothesis of what happened to daft punk is alleged, but tbh this is definitely why we haven't heard from them, they are currently locked in Pharrell's basement} {author's note upon coming back to this fic and finding this author's note: yes i stand by past-me, pharrell is tearing this phamily apart}   
"Just you watch, we're going to win that Grammy and we both know it's us who got us there, no one else." Thomas rolled his shoulders back confidently.  
"Bien entendu, mon amour." {Of course, my love.} Guy-Manuel nodded, a heart lighting up his visor.  
"Now come on, let's go find Aretha Franklin's star on the Walk of Fame."

♥♡🌙🎹🥂♡♥

Hollywood Boulevard was crowded with people, and as happy as he was on this date, Guy-Manuel couldn't help but shy away when they eventually found a place to park and got out.  
"Do you still want to walk here? We can go somewhere else…" Thomas offered. Guy-Manuel shook his head firmly.  
"No, we won't be in LA much longer and I want to see it while I can." Thomas nodded and offered his arm. Guy-Manuel interlocked their elbows and they ventured on towards the shining brass stars.  
The road was bustling and bright, lined with beautiful buildings and colorful signs. The cloudless sky was a hazy blue-everything was simply picture-perfect. Guy-Manuel was surprised but pleased to notice that not many people even looked their way, and when they did, they didn't cause a commotion. He allowed himself to breathe, his shoulders relaxing with relief. They wandered down the block, pointing out all their favorite celebrities, occasionally being stopped to take photos with passersby. Guy-Manuel assured himself that he looked fine, and he didn't have to say anything, just pose. Thomas posed next to Diana Ross' star and Guy-Manuel took a picture for him, and they hunted down Paul Williams' star- pausing to laugh hysterically when they discovered Pharrell Williams next to it. {ok he didn't have a star yet in january 2014 but all of this is made up so i can do what i want} In the end they took pictures with both. They wandered until they grew tired, and they started back towards the car.  
"Do you think we could have a star here one day?" Guy-Manuel wondered aloud.  
"If Donald Duck can get a star, so can we."  
Guy-Manuel laughed. "Yeah, we've done more for music than he ever will!" He feigned anger and they both broke out into giggles.  
When peace had returned but happiness still hovered in the air around them. Thomas looked down at their hands, swaying at their sides, centimeters apart. Guy-Manuel rarely displayed traditional affection in public, he was extremely shy about it. Thomas extended his fingers gently and brushed his fingertips against the gold plating and coarse fabric. Guy-Manuel looked at him, slowing his pace down. Thomas tried not to blush and continued walking to the car. The shorter robot sped up to meet him and, averting his gaze, slipped his hand into Thomas', interlocking their fingers. He didn't have to look at Thomas to know that he was freaking out, the chrome robot's "skin" was overheating.  
"Easy now, you're gonna blow a fuse." Guy-Manuel teased. Thomas squeezed his hand lightly and Guy-Manuel could feel the excitement rolling off his partner in waves. He felt his mechanical heart skip at Thomas' barely hidden happiness and the way he kept their hands close and low, only noticeable to them. It was thoughtful, sweet, and gentle, and just Thomas all over.  
After a short walk, they made it to the parking deck where their trusty Ferrari was parked, walking hand in hand. Guy-Manuel started towards the passenger side, but Thomas pulled him by his hand and twirled the smaller robot so that he was pressed between the car and Thomas' tall figure. Guy-Manuel made a surprised noise and his visor lit up with pink blush. Thomas looked down and Guy-Manuel tilted his helmet up to meet his gaze, and for a quiet moment they just connected, feeling out the other's emotions and thoughts. It was so intimate, to feel another being's love from inside their own mind, Thomas almost pitied humans because they could never connect with their lovers like this. "Almost", because he was endlessly jealous of humans' ability to kiss. Guy-Manuel thought kissing was overrated and dull, but Thomas found himself aching with the desire to express himself in that way. He'd never say that out loud, though.  
Thomas leaned down and gently pressed his approximation of a human kiss to Guy-Manuel's visor, barely touching his mouth to it before pulling back and straightening up.  
"Oh," Guy-Manuel murmured. It was a low, heavy sound, lilting with curiosity and awe. Thomas quirked his head to the side, trying to puzzle out what that reaction meant. Guy-Manuel didn't give him much of a chance, because he effectively shorted every one of Thomas' circuits by grabbing his helmet and pulling him down to press their visors together again.  
"Ah-!" Thomas gasped, hands flailing from his sides and instinctively going to Guy-Manuel's hips. It was mostly a clumsy *bonk* of their glass visors, but the way Guy-Manuel tilted his head to the side and held Thomas' face close to his was so electrifying and warm. Thomas pulled his thoughts together and leaned into the kiss, humming softly in approval. He pushed the golden robot flush against the car, falling into him because he couldn't stand to be away-not being connected to his partner was like losing one of the senses. He pressed their hips together, made room for Guy-Manuel to loop his leg around Thomas'.  
Guy-Manuel let out a tantalizing moan, and Thomas felt so weak he thought he might collapse on the concrete. He felt a sudden surge in his brain, the warm push of Guy-Manuel inviting himself into his database.  
I love you I love you I love you, you're so beautiful and you're mine and I love you-mine! Mine mine mine-  
Guy-Manuel sent a storm of words, falling over each other and breathless despite being sent from his mind. Thomas giggled happily.  
"Yours." He sighed.

♥♡🌙🎹🥂♡♥

"Ah! There you are. Tal will be here in an hour for outfits, I'll send zir up when ze gets here." Their manager greeted them when they strode into the hotel lobby, he looked like he was on his way out, coffee in hand.  
"Thank you." Thomas said as they passed, headed in opposite directions.  
"Do you want someone to bring those bags up for you?" He called out from the grand glass door.  
"Non merci!" Thomas hefted their shopping bags higher up his arms so he could press the elevator button. Their manager waved and disappeared as the elevator arrived and the two robots stepped in.  
"If only he knew we could bench press this elevator if we wanted to." Guy-Manuel chuckled and leaned against the handrail, legs crossed.  
"He's not used to working with handcrafted robots made of carbon fiber and titanium, we can forgive him just this once." Thomas grinned. His gaze wandered over Guy-Manuel’s broad torso and he admired the way the high waistline of his pants made his figure an enviable angular hourglass. "You look pretty, mon amour." Thomas couldn't take his eyes off the relaxed figure of his partner.  
"C'est des conneries-"{"That's bullshit-"} Guy-Manuel turned his face away and studied the floor. Thomas dropped the bags and crossed the large, ornate elevator, swiftly cornering his partner. He dragged a hand up Guy-Manuel's thigh, eliciting a shudder and a faint mechanical gasp. He trailed his fingers up further, over the slope of his hip and his soft stomach, perfectly chubby, and up to the base of his neck.  
"I never lie to you. You take my breath away." Thomas was aware that that statement didn't make sense with their organ-less systems, but it was truly the best way to put it into words. He felt a pang in his chest and a deep want in his stomach, and he just couldn't explain it. He leaned down, hovering next Guy-Manuel's ear(external audio processor, but the point remains the same).  
"I…" He began. Guy-Manuel's body was tense with anticipation and his chest artificially rose and fell quickly with ragged breaths.  
Ding.  
Thomas sighed and turned around. The elevator doors opened onto their floor, and blessedly, no one was waiting for the elevator. Thomas kicked a shopping bag, sending it sliding across the floor and pausing right in front of the elevator doors, signalling to keep them open. Satisfied, Thomas turned back to an amused Guy-Manuel and brushed his silver fingers over the straight edge of his golden helmet.  
"I love you." Thomas whispered. Guy-Manuel sang a soft scale and melted into him, wrapping his arms around him. Thomas hugged back like it was the end of the world, craving closeness like it was his oxygen.  
"I love you too, you dork." Guy-Manuel laughed, nuzzling his face into the crook of Thomas' neck. "Let's go get a recharge in before tonight."

♥♡🌙🎹🥂♡♥

Thomas buried himself in a cave of soft blankets, humming happily. Guy-Manuel tossed his jacket and shoes to the floor, collapsing heavily in bed next to him. Thomas leapt on top of him, holding Guy-Manuel prisoner in his blanket pile.  
“Oof.” Guy-Manuel mumbled. He didn’t push Thomas off or wrestle back or flash the colors on his visor playfully like he was supposed to, and Thomas cocked his head in a frown.  
“What is it, mon chéri?” He questioned softly. Guy-Manuel looked away, offering the unobtrusive connection into Thomas’ mind. He, of course, let him plug directly into his thoughts. Immediately upon connecting, a tidal wave of anxiety hit Thomas like a punch in the stomach. Instinctively, a hand flew to his chest as if the phantom pain was his. He gasped, and Guy-Manuel quickly withdrew. This brought Thomas back to reality instantly, and his mind and hands reached for his partner.  
“Oh, Guillaume, my love, it will be ok.” He soothed, his heart aching for his partner. He pulled Guy-Manuel to his chest, cradling him in his lap tightly. “It is nothing to worry about, we’ve played for people a thousand times. This will be a breeze.”  
“S-s-s-s-so important, though.”  
“Only if we win,” Thomas chuckled. Guy-Manuel punched him on the arm. “It will be the best night of our lives, if you want it to be. Don’t let it go to waste by spending the whole time worrying.” Thomas traced soft circles on Guy-Manuel’s back, and, eventually, Guy-Manuel sighed, only stuttering once.  
“You’re right. Let’s get some rest.”

They were jolted awake by a violent knocking at their door. It sounded like the police were about to kick it in, but the robots were well aware it was their designer, Tal. {completely oc btw <3} Guy-Manuel being still in his clothes from earlier, yanked the charging cable from his neck and hurried to silence the obnoxious pounding on the door while Thomas pulled on a long lounge robe that fit him height-wise but in return was much too big width-wise and was practically swimming in the soft garment. Tal bustled in and draped dry cleaners bags over their unused kitchen table, and Guy-Manuel instinctively started the coffee pot heating because, after many meetings at all hours with Tal, he knew zir well. Ze heaved a couple suitcases in after zir and huffed victoriously.  
“This…” Ze opened the trunk at zir feet and revealed two pristine white helmets. “...is gonna knock your socks off.” Guy-Manuel snorted at zir strange idiom while Thomas dragged a fabric finger along the flawless white plastic.  
“Different.” Guy-Manuel mused as he peeked over from the kitchen. Thomas nodded.  
“We’ve never done bright white…” Thomas worried.  
“Oh please, if you two were wearing nothing but a deconstructed microwave the people would love it. I thought you needed a special something different for tonight, then you can go back to the gold and silver.” Ze crossed zir muscular arms. Tal was a little scary, with closely cropped brown hair and a tall, muscular frame, a booming voice and an aggressive disposition. But ze worked well with the two robots, ze always had.  
“Alright, where do you want to do this? I gotta redo your skin and everything, so it’ll be quite a job.” Ze started unpacking zir tools.  
“The bedroom is fine. I hope you know what you’re doing.” Thomas said, strolling towards the bedroom.  
“Trust me, Thomas. The white on black is gonna be stunning.” Thomas nodded, taking the garment bag and disappearing into the bedroom.  
“What do you mean, ‘Why is there no milk’, of course we don’t have milk, we’re robots.” Guy-Manuel argued from across the suite. Thomas giggled to himself.  
“Maybe there’s sugar, I don’t know! Call room service, put it on our bill.” Guy-Manuel called as he entered the bedroom backwards, outfit in hand. He shot a look at Thomas, perfectly conveying an eye-roll. Thomas unzipped the garment bag. He found a perfectly pressed, spotless white suit carefully constructed down to every thread. He lifted it silently, marveling at the opulent, heavy fabric. It was definitely not something he’d usually wear, but he was excited to feel the fabric against his velvet skin. He reached up, unlatching his helmet with a mechanical click, and lifted it up, revealing the green circuit board underneath. He set it carefully on the bed and felt around for the shirt and tugged it over his head. Being incredibly uncomfortable without his helmet, he put it back on to slip into the white pants. Perfect fit, of course. That was one of Thomas’ favorite parts about having money-they could have whatever clothes they pleased, all perfectly tailored to fit Thomas’ frustratingly long legs. He admired the clothes in the mirror, turning around approvingly. It was sculpted to follow every muscle, moving with him and resting heavily against his chest and shoulders. He liked it, it was comfortable and flattering. He nodded to himself and went to the bed, folding the duvet and setting it on the floor to leave a clean slate for Tal to work on. He took off his new outfit and stretched out on the bed, gazing at his partner, who was taking off his matching white costume. Guy-Manuel laid down next to him, turning his head to look at Thomas. The silver robot brought the delicate touch of his knuckles to Guy-Manuel’s glossy visor, and pink hearts scrolled across his own.  
“Alright, boys,” Tal burst in, dumping a plethora of tools on their bedside tables. “Nerves off.”  
The robots straightened out and shut off their nerve programming so they wouldn’t feel anything as Tal worked on them. Thomas let his mind wander, daydreaming while Tal replaced their black velvet covering with white, removing their chrome helmets and carefully putting on white ones.  
“Good to go. Check it out.” Tal dropped zir pliers and chugged some coffee. Thomas snapped back to earth and flicked on his nerve program, coming back into his body. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and moved to the floor-length mirror.  
“Wow…” Thomas murmured, awestruck.  
“Yeah?” Tal grinned. “Looks good, huh?” Ze looked smug but zir eyes shone with pride. Guy-Manuel joined him at the mirror to admire their outfits.  
“We look hot.” Guy-Manuel commented. Thomas snorted and Tal beamed.  
“Damn right. Now. Don’t let anyone spill their wine on you and send me photos from the Grammys- I gotta run. Good?” Tal started gathering zir stuff.  
“Good.” Guy-Manuel said.  
“Thank you for everything, Tal.” Thomas added. Tal gave them a wide grin and a salute before hurrying out as suddenly as ze came.

♥♡🌙🎹🥂♡♥

Thomas held Guy-Manuel’s hand in the back of the limo on the way to the event. He was shaking and the back of the car was silent as they meandered through the LA traffic.  
“We are going to be stunning.” Thomas reassured. Guy-Manuel nodded, though he bounced his leg nervously. Their costumes were perfect, only...the screens didn’t actually work, there were no lights to emote with, which frustrated Guy-Manuel endlessly. He really wanted to flash a soft red heart and have it returned on his partner’s visor right now. He sighed and grabbed Thomas’ hand instead, earning a content head-tilt from his companion. They looked through tinted windows at the mob of people crowding the entrance to the Staples Center, making Guy-Manuel’s heart stutter with a confusing mix of excitement, love, and anxiety. Their fans. The ones that got them here. How thrilling it was to see them clamber towards the limousine, smiling and yelling and jumping up and down. It was also extremely terrifying, threatening to lock all of Guy-Manuel’s limbs up as he watched Thomas swing elegantly out of the limo and into the flashing lights and constant noise. He swept to the side and bent in a half bow, peeking his head into the car to send a big, warm wave of affection over their wireless connection, presenting a matte white hand, encouraging his partner to join him. Guy-Manuel took an artificial inhale, steadying himself, and stepped out, taking Thomas’ helpful hand. When they were both out, Thomas resisted the urge to wave enthusiastically at everyone. They had an image to keep up. Realizing this, Thomas let Guy-Manuel go and stood cooly, leaning just a little towards his other half. A bouncer shut the door behind them and their only chance at safety drove away. Guy-Manuel looked around, trying to appear unbothered while camera flashes battered against his glossy face. Thomas looked down fondly and took a gentle step forward, which Guy-Manuel followed, keeping his gaze connected with the taller robot’s. They strode down the carpet together like they were made for it.

Backstage, Thomas stood still and let Guy-Manuel reach up and adjust his shirt. They were quite silent until it was time to load the gang on stage, simply enjoying the pre-show anticipation that always filled their hearts. The two split up from the group and snuck into their little booth in the middle of the stage, the lights pitch black. They took their spots up at their equipment, ready for the lights to lift. They shared one of their looks, you know the ones by now. Simply existing beside each other, soundboard vast in front of them, this was all they could ever want.  
“Like the legend of the phoenix,” Pharrell’s voice flooded the stage in front of them, meaning they’ve started the show, but the robots kept tucked away, waiting for their queue in their darkened booth. Thomas turned and offered his arms for a hug should Guy-Manuel want it. Of course he did, he rolled up into his chéri’s arms, rubbing his face against the soft plush of the white shirt over his chest. If Guy-Manuel thought about nothing but Thomas, it was almost easy to imagine this as just another rehearsal. But their queue was approaching fast, so they hastily prepared to be revealed and included in their song. Thomas thrummed with electricity as Stevie Wonder crooned into the mic in front of them, and the two robots shot each other a radiant glance as Pharrell queued them in.  
“We’re up all night to get lucky,” Thomas sang, diving into their solo. His confidence was contagious, infecting Guy-Manuel immediately, who hummed a harmony and started to dance along. His body felt flush with the technology, all borders between him, the music, and Thomas disappearing. He let his excitement travel across the circuits, shocking Thomas’ fingertips and eliciting a delighted jump from the taller robot.  
“Harder!” Guy-Manuel exclaimed. Thomas laughed happily, throwing his head back and fumbling for a certain switch on their dashboard.  
“Better!” The shorter one beamed, bouncing up and down, completely in his own world. He pushed at Thomas, building a mechanical rise in the music, to which Thomas gasped and stared at his partner breathlessly. Guy-Manuel forced a surge of power over them, sending both of their circuits sizzling. Thomas doubled over.  
“Come on, come on, come on, come on, come on,” He chanted over and over, caught in a whirlwind of emotions-Guy-Manuel of course gave into Thomas’ pleas and twisted the volume dial up further, and Thomas was speechless for an instant. Their band joined in though, filling their solo with organic sounds. The lights turned deep blue, casting an ethereal glow over the brilliant white helmets Tal had created.  
“Come on, come on,” Thomas repeated desperately. Guy-Manuel’s shoulders shook and his head bobbed as he pulsed with the music, opening their connection fully for whatever Thomas wanted to take or give. The light show around their booth continued, and Guy-Manuel risked a look at the audience. What he saw lit his heart up and erased all his doubt-every single person, all these untouchable celebrities and world renowned musicians were on their feet dancing to their song, smiles shining from every face. He let the dam crumble, a million sounds rushing from his fingertips, some old and nostalgic, some that come out of nowhere, simply following the melody they’d built.  
“Harder, better, faster, stronger,” he sang. Thomas’ hips swayed with Guy-Manuel’s burst of music, perfectly following his every movement. His soulmate, always moving with Guy-Manuel’s melodies. Thomas reached for a dial, glancing at the dazed Guy-Manuel. His soulmate, always singing along to Thomas’ wild whims.  
Stevie followed with his own solo, singing with his whole heart, just like the robots. Guy-Manuel backed up, toning it down just a touch, then letting it build with the other members as they all joined in. Everything climbed louder and heavier, and Guy-Manuel’s hands shook trying to contain it all. Thomas didn’t seem to have this problem, as he was dancing about, completely unbothered. Guy-Manuel was happy to channel all of this energy if it would make Thomas dance so joyfully, so he braced himself on the dashboard and held on for dear life until finally everything crashed beautifully to an end. Thomas sighed, head falling back, exhausted, and Guy-Manuel simply gazed at his partner, chest heaving for breath that was entirely optional. Thomas blinked out of his daze, immediately clapping for his friends and lover, and said lover joined him in cheering. They all clapped and beamed at each other as the lights dimmed.

“We’re surrounded by so many cool people!” Thomas gushed as they found their assigned seats. Thomas giggled, admiring all the stars in the audience. And to think, they might perform in front of the remaining Beatles.  
“Thomas! Guy!” A voice carved its way through the din. They spun around to greet Paul Williams, accompanied by Pharrell and Nile. Thomas gave a hearty handshake to Paul, and Guy-Manuel nodded at the other two. After some excited socializing they took their seats.

“...these are this year’s fabulous nominees for best album…”  
Thomas’ hand nudged under the arm rest, fingers dusting Guy-Manuel’s.  
“...Blessed Unrest by Sara Bareilles,”  
Guy-Manuel let him take hold of his hand.  
“...Random Access Memories by Daft Punk,” Guy-Manuel felt like he was going to explode. He couldn’t hear the other albums being announced.  
Alicia Keys stepped forward with the silky blue envelope containing the fate of their future.  
“...and the Grammy goes to…”  
Thomas squeezed Guy-Manuel’s hand, bringing him back to reality. Was his fan working? He felt like he was overheating. He fought down the urge to fidget and bounce up and down like the nervous trainwreck he was.  
“Random Access Memories.”  
…..everything froze.  
“Guy-Manuel!” Thomas squealed, standing up. Guy-Manuel followed, dumbstruck. The truth of it then came crashing around his emotionless exterior. They won. They won best album.  
“Oh my god!” He trilled breathlessly-and all of a sudden Thomas was grabbing him, wrapping him in a hug that could literally crush a refrigerator, abandoning their calm display because this was them. Their music, their life. Their love. Thomas buried his face in Guy-Manuel’s neck, and it was all the shorter robot could do to just hold on for dear life. He held him as long as he could, shaking with so many intense emotions, before he had to break away to congratulate the others. He felt so human. Thomas took Paul’s hand and let him guide his robot friends to the stage with the people they loved the most surrounding them-warmth radiating from him as he accepted the award from Yoko Ono, who was comically small next to the giant robot, but she was buzzing with excitement and Thomas could understand at least that. Triumphantly, Thomas raised the trophy above his head, basking in the deafening applause.  
“-back when I was drinking, I used to imagine things that weren’t there-that were quite frightening-and then I got sober and two robots called me and asked me to make an album.” Paul said into the mic. Thomas giggled with everyone jubilantly, gently passing the heavy golden trophy to Guy-Manuel, and he quickly passed it to Paul, eyes only for Thomas. Everyone backed up a tad, urging the robots forward to the microphone. Thomas nodded at his partner, and they stepped up.  
“We…” Thomas’ voice was quiet, timid but burning with passion underneath. He had to lean down to reach the mic, it made him look like the shy and dorky boy Guy-Manuel fell in love with years ago. His Thomas.  
“This is the moment,” Thomas’ voice grew more confident, heavy with his gorgeous accent, and Guy-Manuel could almost feel like there weren’t hundreds of talented celebrities watching their every move.  
“-when we see these wonderful marriages, and the same love is-is-” The crowd was cheering, their friends were cheering, and here they were in the middle of it. The two mechanical men gazed only at each other, everyone else completely redundant when they were with each other.  
“-a powerful love, for all people...” Guy-Manuel watched Thomas like he was the whole world, causing every coherent thought to evaporate from Thomas’ vocalizer. No one else was there on that stage, in that crowd, behind those cameras. It was only the two of them, like it had been since their construction and like it will be until the world ends. Thomas let the silence settle in his mouth, reaching a hand towards Guy-Manuel. Fondly, he took it, but he was suddenly being pulled in by the taller robot, flush with his chest, long arms wrapping around his hips and back. Guy-Manuel tilted his helmet up, staring, the world frozen around them. Then Thomas was crashing down, pressing his mouth to Guy-Manuel’s visor in a display the humans could understand. The audience erupted in overwhelming noise, but Guy-Manuel was surprised to find that he didn’t care, letting himself melt, back arching as Thomas pulled the small of his back tighter against him, wrapping his partner in a secure embrace. When they broke their kiss, they looked to the audience once, taking in the chaos before disappearing off the side of the stage.  
“Thomas! You’re crazy,” Guy-Manuel giggled as they ran out onto the street into the cool air. They ran past the crowds of music fans and security guards on the street, pushing 20 mph, unable to be caught with their strong mechanical bodies. Thomas felt his heart lighten with relief that Guy-Manuel wasn’t mad.  
21, 22, 23 mph, they bounded down the sidewalk, the city lights bouncing off their shining visors, hand in hand into the glittering LA night.

♥♡🌙🎹🥂♡♥

**Author's Note:**

> anyways if you need me i’ll be crying to digital love
> 
> here’s this for reference and also tears: https://youtu.be/AzJDIm7UtAg 
> 
> and then this if you wanna hear the unedited win speech thingy by paul williams: https://youtu.be/ncnBz6A14i0


End file.
